Chapter 30 — That’s Not Your True Desire

1

Inside an unknown tower.

Manus stood up, holding his dizzy head.

Beside him, Livy was still sprawled out, unconscious.

Where could they be?

To gauge the height, he headed towards a nearby window.

A bizarrely shaped moon.

Motionless clouds.

‘Seems we’ve climbed quite high.’

Roughly around the 20th floor, he estimated.

Since they couldn’t go up without defeating the boss, even at the highest point, it wouldn’t be beyond the 25th floor.

He activated the communication orb.

“This is Manus. Anyone who can hear me, respond.”

“-I can hear you! This is Pearson! Wow, I fell alone and I don’t even know which floor I’m on! Are we going to end up stranded at this rate?!”

“Stand by.”

If this was considered part of the event, he could act as a guide.

Why?

Hadn’t he learned guiding magic for times like this?

[Dux]

A faint light of mana appeared.

When making bold attempts, one must always be prepared.

The performance of the spell had been thoroughly verified.

“…Ugh-.”

“Get up.”

“Wh-where-, Wh-where is this-.”

“We’re moving. If you don’t want to die, move quickly.”

Livy jumped to her feet.

She didn’t even have time to hold her dizzy head.

Manus, true to his name as a tyrant, was merciless.

The two began to move.

Livy looked around, trying to steady her slightly trembling body.

They had clearly entered from within the academy, but this was a completely different space.

-Where on earth is this place, and how do they know about it?

She had many questions, but she wasn’t in a position to ask anything.

“Senior! This is Anais! I’m with Kael!”

“I’ll be there soon.”

“But there are quite a few demons here! I think you need to hurry!”

Manus nodded and quickened his pace.

The path was visible.

What was needed to safely bring all team members to the ground was time.

2

[Hmm!]

[Hmm hmm!]

Melanie found herself in a crisis.

Strange creatures wearing masks.

Their eerie sounds maximized the sense of fear.

‘Spell, I need to cast a spell-.’

Her mind went blank.

She certainly knew spells and magic, but her mana wouldn’t budge.

The basic qualities of a mage were concentration and a calm state of mind.

Battles could break out anywhere, anytime.

Even in harsh environments, a mage must not lose their reason.

In that respect, Melanie lacked talent as a mage.

-Run away quickly!

-It’s dangerous!

-It’s dangerous!

We’ll help you-.

So, stop resisting-.

The whispers of the spirits grew louder.

Melanie tried hard to ignore their voices and squeezed out her mana.

Crackle-.

The attack magic she knew was insignificant, but she could still do it.

No, she had to do it.

“Please-.”

[Hmm hmm-!]

The masks gradually tightened their encirclement.

After numerous failures, Melanie finally managed to complete the most basic magic.

[Aura]

The wind swept in.

The fierce wind struck the masks.

However, not a single one of the numerous masks fell.

The masked beings approached step by step.

Melanie’s heart beat rapidly, feeling like it would burst.

Why aren’t they falling-?!

‘What should I do-.’

[Hmm-!]

A creature that looked like a giant cogwheel made a strange sound as it prepared to pounce.

Giiing-!

A prelude.

She knew the attack was about to begin, but Melanie didn’t know what to do.

‘I’m going to die-.’

“Hey, hey-! What are you doing to my friend-!”

Kwarruruk-!

A crude but effective fire magic exploded.

The cogwheel monster engulfed in flames let out a pitiful scream.

[Hmmmm-!]

“Oh, looks like its weakness is fire, Melanie! Are you okay?”

A welcome voice came from the darkness.

It was Pearson, one of the people she had become close to in the club.

His presence, like a ray of light, reached Melanie.

“Ugh, there are too many of these?”

There were about ten just in front of them.

Moreover, more masks kept coming from behind.

Melanie’s face lit up upon seeing Pearson.

“P-Pearson-.”

“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? This is Pearson, I’ve found Melanie!”

Pearson spoke into a small orb.

Realizing he hadn’t come alone, Melanie’s eyes reddened.

Everyone came to rescue me-.

The relief that made her legs feel weak was short-lived as Pearson’s next words snapped her back to attention.

After all, Pearson was useless when alone.

“We’re surrounded by enemies here! You need to come quickly! It’s impossible to escape!”

“Hold out as long as you can.”

Along with a crackling sound, a gruff and authoritative voice was heard.

Manus.

Had that iron-like man come to save her too?

Melanie gritted her teeth.

How could they escape this desperate situation-?

“If you’re nearby, you should be able to hear me. Melanie.”

“Eh? Ah, yes! I-I can hear you.”

“Don’t reject the spirits. Your talent isn’t limited to just using auxiliary magic.”

“-But.”

What do you know-?

For a moment, Melanie almost shouted out of defiance.

If not for her timid nature, and if it weren’t Manus, she might have done so.

Spirits are dangerous beings.

They’re not the sacred and nature-close beings from fairy tales.

They commit slaughter and try to plant evil thoughts in their contractors.

She wanted to cry out like that.

“Spirits are entities that represent the human heart. If you think they’re dangerous, it means you harbor dangerous thoughts yourself.”

“That’s not true-!”

Melanie closed her eyes and shouted.

No-.

— ‘I didn’t harbor such feelings towards my friends!’

She had seen countless people growing up in a merchant family.

Despite meeting innumerable people, hatred never bloomed in her mind.

Because she thought it was a dirty and ugly emotion.

“People call me the ‘Tyrant’. Over the past year, there are probably many who hate me.”

“…”

“I still think there are many fools, and I won’t show them any favor. Like the guy holding the orb right now-.”

“Ack? Senior, isn’t that too harsh?!”

Ignoring Pearson’s protest, Manus continued speaking.

Yes, everyone makes mistakes as they live.

Whether intentional or not, no one can always do the right thing for everyone.

“If there are people you dislike, dislike them. If you want to get angry, get angry. The spirits won’t get angry for you.”

“…”

Melanie hung her head low.

There were many she disliked.

She had been turning a blind eye to them simply because they weren’t moral.

[Interference has begun.]

-That’s right!

-We’ll help you!

-Why should you suffer any losses!

The spirits circled around her.

The masks were drawing closer.

Pearson shot out flames again.

[Urrrgh-!]

“Hey Melanie! No time to dawdle! Whether it’s spirits or whatever, we need power now. You don’t plan on dying here, right?!”

“-Of course not.”

Mana surged.

Melanie looked at the spirits circling around her.

There really was no time left now.

Would it be okay even if she wasn’t good at magic?

If there were spirits, would she not be bullied anymore?

“Aaaah-! Melanieeee-! I’m dyiiing-!”

[Hmph-!]

The demons’ attack began in earnest.

All sorts of magic flew towards them, and Pearson was barely blocking them with his Edge.

The flower petals began to shatter.

It was truly time to make a decision.

Melanie stretched out her hand.

“Lend me your power.”

-Alright! We’ve been waiting for this!

-Crush everything that stands in your way!

The spirits rushed towards Melanie.

Blue mana began to ripple over her body.

[Melanie’s Exclusive Skill: Incorporo]

-Our knowledge is now your knowledge.

-We don’t use human magic.

-Crush the enemies with the power of spirits!

Crack-.

Strength filled Melanie’s delicate fists.

The images repeating frantically in her mind were surely not a dream.

Her eyes glowed blue.

“I know how to fight now.”

Even if her concentration is weak, there are many ways to fight without using magic.

Her true talent is-.

“Hyaah-!”

Kwaaang-!

Her blue fist created a flash of light, and one demon’s mask shattered into pieces.

Pearson gaped at the shocking sight.

To see that fragile woman destroy a demon with her bare hands!

“S-Senior, is this real? Me-Melanie is-.”

“Shut up and help her.”

“Ah, yes sir-!”

Pearson began to demonstrate his specialty.

Buff spells poured onto Melanie, and she started to rampage wildly.

Yes, her position was ‘tank’ or ‘melee dealer’.

Overwhelming physical enhancement using spirits.

She was a versatile character with defense, physical attacks, and elemental attributes.

The properly awakened Melanie crushed the enemy frantically, as if venting her long-held frustrations.

-We’ll block the attacks!

-Go and crush them all!

-Be true to your desires!

The demons also used magic and physical skills.

The demons before them now were ‘Chariot-9’.

Although they were low-rank demons, they were too much for non-combat personnel to defeat.

“Die-!”

“…She’s a frightening girl.”

Kwang-!

Every time she swung her fist towards a mask, a demon screamed and exploded.

Whoosh-!

The fire spirit lent its power.

[Enchant: Salamander]

Melanie’s pink hair turned red.

Melanie’s strike, having become the fire spirit itself.

The demons began to burst into flames one after another.

“…Wow, this is really amazing.”

“Are you alright?”

Manus’s voice was heard from behind.

It was an incredibly welcome sound.

Pearson sighed and turned around.

“Senior. We really almost died. But was the power of spirits… always this overwhelming? It’s so rare, you know-“

“Support her properly. We need to go find Anais and Kael now.”

“Understood.”

Manus joined the battle.

Rumble-!

3rd-Class magic swept across the battlefield, and the demons began to melt away in an instant.

Livy, who had been staring blankly at the scene, collapsed to the ground.

Watching Melanie’s brilliant form, she shed tears.

Pearson, standing next to her, smirked and said,

“Are you watching? This is the girl you tried to kill.”

“No…”

“Sigh. You should have thought about overcoming your problems through hard work, don’t you know that if you try to drag others down, you’ll fall with them?”

Livy was at a loss for words.

What would become of her?

How would Melanie react?

The situation was desperate in many ways.

Eventually, the battle ended.

Melanie, who had consumed a considerable amount of mana, staggered as if about to fall.

It was a satisfying battle.

It felt like the knot in her heart had been washed away.

-That was truly refreshing.

“Senior. Thank you.”

“What are you going to do with that girl?”

Melanie turned her head.

There was Livy, looking at her with sorrowful eyes.

A subtle anger dwelled in her eyes.

『Event Branch Point』

[Melanie Awakened → Spirit User]

[Melanie has joined as an ally.]

–TL Notes–
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